Allendale Historical Society - The John Fell House

— 10 — POSTWAR YEARS

— 1946-1960 —

In 1950 the population of Allendale was 2,049 (down slightly from 1940's total of 2,051), and in 1960 it had nearly doubled, to 4,069.

Beginning at 3 a.m. on October 7, 1956, New Jersey Bell Telephone introduced modern, highspeed dialing for the Ramsey-Mahwah-Allendale-Saddle River area. In Allendale, telephone numbers changed from "Allendale 1" to "Davis 7" exchanges.

In September 1956, $14,990 could buy a five-bedroom, two and a half story frame house on a 100' x 200' plot in Allendale.

In September 1950 the Borough of Allendale, after concluding negotiations begun a year earlier, bought property from the Erie Railroad surrounding the station on both sides of the railroad tracks. This land was used for parking lots. The Borough Council, working with the Allendale Garden Club, landscaped and planted the area around the station on both sides of the tracks.1

With the post-war building spurt, zoning in Allendale once again became a major concern. One of the earliest zoning efforts had been in May 1924 when the Borough Council enacted zoning ordinances, beginning with the zoning of West Allendale Avenue. In 1952 Allendale adopted a zoning Master Plan and in 1957 a new building code was put into effect. In the mid-1950s, the council passed a zoning regulation prohibiting carnival troupes within the Borough limits.

In November 1959 an ordinance was passed by the borough council creating a Board of Public Works in Allendale.

Allendale marshalls and deputy marshalls between 1946 and 1958 included Arthur W. Ahrens, Leonard Baum, Frederick Bavelaar, Kenneth M. Booth, Peter L. Cauwenberghs, John A. Comley, Robert Finlay, John O. Forshay, Roy Ivar Martin, Frank Parenti, Arthur Reyner, Lewis Turner, Howard Uhlinger, Robert Wehner, and Robert Wilson. In 1949, Marshall's pay was $1.00 an hour. Some of the early desk marshalls before 1955 were Mrs. Mabel Ceely, Mrs. Robert Wilson, and Mrs. Mildred Conklin.2

In February 1951 the Allendale Police Department, under Chief John O. Forshay, issued a booklet titled "Guardians of Your Property and

Welfare." The booklet was distributed to all Allendale residents and contained information about the local law enforcement system. Since the late 1930s, police officers and marshalls had operated out of their private homes, keeping a room or desk for official business. Beginning about March 1951 Allendale's Police Headquarters moved to a store at 126 West Allendale Avenue.

Beginning on January 1, 1959, the Allendale Police Department was reinstated in Allendale. The Borough had begun with marshalls in 1894, and continued under the marshall system until 1927 when a Police Department was initiated. This continued until 1939, when as an austerity move (though some said a political liquidation) under Mayor Louis Keidel, the department was disbanded and the borough went back to a less expensive marshall system. Allendale's Police force had been a civil service department, and prior to this, i f the department had been reinstated, the borough would have had to reinstate Chief William Reimer, in office when the department was discontinued, as well. By late 1958, Reimer

Chief Marshall Kenneth M. Booth, May 30, 1947.

Allendale Historical Society

152 POSTWAR YEARS — 1946-1960

Chief Marshall Robert D. Wilson, with Allendale's new police car, 1958. The car is parked on West Allendale Avenue, across from the Allendale Hotel, at the storefront (partially shown at the left) used as the Allendale Department of Safety headquarters at that time.

had died, paving the way for Allendale to reestablish its Police Department. The growing population was cited as the reason for the change. After 20 years under a marshall system, the Allendale Mayor and Council adopted an ordinance in December 1958 creating a police force as of January 1, 1959.

Just prior to the change, Chief Robert Wilson (a full-time marshall since 1943) and Sgt. Frank Parenti had been the borough's only full-time marshalls, supplemented when needed by part time marshalls, and they continued as officers in the new department. In February 1959 Andrew Baum and James Tallia were

3 4 added to the police force. '

In 1952 a new ambulance was acquired for the Allendale Ambulance Corps. That same year 564 calls were answered by the Corps. Presidents of the Allendale Ambulance Corps between 1948 and 1960 were Charles Bijou, Leonard Baum, Sr., Stephen T. Van Houten III, Jack Tackaberry, Emory Turnure, Charles Schubert, and Don Purvis. Captains of the Corps between 1948 and 1960 were F. Archibald Farrell, John Comley, and Peter Cauwenberghs, Sr. Others active in the Corps between 1946 and 1960 were Kenneth M. Booth, Arthur Canning, Roy Dietert, Charles Guam, Alwyn Grossmann, Ed Grosman, Robert Judson, Henry Kahse, Jacob Kaplan, Frank Keil, Louis Kubler, Frank Occhipinti, Paul D. O'Connor, Frank Parenti, Jack Phillips, Lawrence Scafuro, Peter Stanchak, Fred Thurston, Rudy Tomerack, Lou Turner, Carl Wehner, and

Clifford Winter. An addition to the Ambulance building was erected in 1959, providing meeting and storage space.5

At the annual Ambulance Corps installation dinner, held at Crescent Terrace Inn in December 1956, former Corps captain F. Archibald Farrell noted that Allendale's Corps was the first in New Jersey to take a patient through a railroad car window, and first to take a patient off an airplane.

In 1960 the Borough Council, at the recommendation of the Allendale Garden Club, adopted the dogwood as Allendale's official Borough Flower.

Mayors of Allendale during this era were J. George Christopher (1945-1946), Frederick J. Burnett (1947-1950), Leslie R. Johnson (1951-1952), John L. Tucker (1953-1956), Albert O. Scafuro (1957-1958), George A. Dean (1959), and Robert I. Newman (1959-1966).

Those serving on the Allendale Council from 1946 to 1960 included Leonard A. Baum, Rea A. Becker, Robert J. Black, John Borger, Henry C. Cobb, Perry Conklin, Victor J. Cotz, Matthew S. Crinkley, Elwood T. Critchley, Edward P. Dwyer, Helmuth Falcke, Edmund Grofsick, Mrs. Helen Hanson, Mayo A. Harvey, Harold Heidrich, Lewis H. Kort, Frank P. McCord, Arthur F. Mueller, Robert I. Newman, Mark W. Olson, Albert E. Ostertag, Wilfred H. Paulsen, Harold Roberts, Raymond M. Scholz, Mrs. Hilda Sprague, Russell K. Stewart, John Tucker, Richard Van Houten, John Wattles, and John D. Webb.

Borough Clerks between 1946 and 1960 were Charles R. Vollaro (who served as Allendale's borough clerk for 18 years until his death in February 1957) and J. Frank Roualt.

C L U B S A N D O R G A N I Z A T I O N

In May or June of 1947 the Borough and the Board of Education of Allendale deeded the old 1896 school building on Franklin Turnpike to the Allendale American Legion Post 204. The Legion had been using the building as a community center since 1940, and the group now prepared to convert the building into a war memorial community center. Renovation work was done to make the building more suitable as a community center. The building was then renamed the "War Memorial Building."6 As a fund-raiser that same year, the Legion held, in early July, a War


ALLENDALE: BACKGROUND OF A BOROUGH 153

Memorial carnival on the field on West Crescent Avenue near West Maple Avenue.

In September 1949 work had begun on remodell ing the War Memorial Building. The roof and the upper story, were removed, making the building into a one story structure. The front stairs and entrance were removed and the exterior of the building was stuccoed and painted sparkling white. Large Blue letters on the front of the building spelled out "War Memorial Building," and in smaller letters underneath was "American Legion Post No. 204."

Members of Allendale Post 204 between 1946 and 1960 included Ernest Arlt, Harold Bayles, John Borger, Lyman Ceely, Edward P. Dwyer, E. Forshay, Alwyn Grossman, James Hummer, David Kaplan, Jacob Kaplan, Robert J . McLoughlin, Robert Osborne, Jack Phillips, Fred Rohl, Albert O. Scafuro, Lawrence Scafuro, Victor Scafuro, Peter Schefers, Everett Straut, Jr., John Tackaberry, R. Terwilliger, Stiles Thomas, Fred Weise, and William Winter.

Members of the Allendale Post 204 American Legion Auxiliary during this same time period, in addition to to the wives of the above named post members, included Mrs. Ernest Arlt, Mrs. Rose Z. Burnett, Mrs. John Fox, Mrs. Fred Hageman, Mrs. Archibald Gamble, Mrs. Arthur Reyner, Mrs. William Smith, and Mrs. Gary Tallman.

Members of the Allendale Woman's Club during this era held fund-raising bazaars, card parties and other events, and went on trips and outings. Among those active in the Woman's Club of Allendale between 1946 and 1960 were Mrs. George Albert, Mrs. Clifford Anderson, Mrs. Frank Berdan, Mrs. J. H. Bowman, Mrs. Joseph Cushwa, Mrs. William Darken, Mrs. Talbot B. Dunn, Mrs. Helmuth Falcke, Mrs. Arthur Fallon, Mrs. William Forbes, Mrs. B. Perry Hamilton, Mrs. Wil l iam Harrison, Mrs. Edgar Horstmann, Mrs. Mart in E. Husing, Mrs. L. A. Johnson, Mrs. Robert C. Kindred, Mrs. Wil l iam Lightbody, Mrs. Hans Loen, Mrs. Louis Mocco, Mrs. Jay S. Morris, Mrs. Arvid H. Nyberg, Mrs. Leopold Polt, Mrs. William Previdi, Mrs. Henry A. Rademaker, Mrs. H. E. Schoenheiter, Mrs. G. Simmons, Mrs. Bernt Spilling, Mrs. F. A. Van Sickle., Mrs. Charles F. Vollaro, Mrs. Stanley J. Wenc, Mrs. Charles Williams, and Mrs. Raymond Zane.

The Woman's Evening Club was first organized as the Evening Membership Department of the Woman's Club on March 8, 1946. Its first chairman was Mrs.

Allendale's War Memorial Building, on Franklin Turnpike, in 1950.

Kenneth Mowerson. In November 1948 i t became a separate Woman's Club, off icially the Woman's Evening Club of Allendale, a member of the New Jersey Federation of Woman's Clubs.

In 1948, the Woman's Evening Club officers were Mrs. Roy Dietert, president; Mrs. Ulysses E. Savoye, vice-president; Mrs. Mart in Wetterauw, secretary; and Mrs. Hans Kirschenbauer, treasurer. Additional members between 1948 and 1960 included Mrs. William E. Bartle, Mrs. Rea. A. Becker, Mrs. Bieder, Mrs. Harold Bogardus, Mrs. H. L. Bogart, Mrs. R. H. Brinker, Mrs. Henry C. Cobb, Mrs. H. F. Craven, Mrs. Elwood T. Critchley, Mrs. Norman G. Critchley, Mrs. B. J. Davala, Mrs. DeBlock, Mrs. Calder Estler, Mrs. Fred Grofsick, Mrs. Sigmond Hadel, Mrs. Harold Haefner, Mrs. M. Harvey, Mrs. R. Hoppen, Mrs. Carleton Hutchinson, Mrs. Norman Kershaw, Mrs. G. P. Mart in, Mrs. J. B. Monoghan, Mrs. Kenneth Mowerson, Mrs. A. B. Newton, Mrs. Mark Olson, Mrs. Harold Osborne, Mrs. A. E. Ostertag, Mrs. George Price, Mrs. Russell Stewart, Mrs. Edgar Varick, Mrs. Carl Wehner, and Mrs. T. H. Zane.8

Members of the Junior Woman's Club of Allendale between 1948 and 1960 included Mrs. Walter Burtis, Mrs. Elmer Bush, Mrs. Robert Cross, Mrs. George Dean, Mrs. Edward deJongh, Mrs. George De Young, Mrs. W. Joseph Dixon, Mrs. Louis Fallon, Mrs. James Freeman, Mrs. John Fyffe, Mrs. Harry Goodrich, Mrs. Paul Huot, Mrs. Martin Husing, Mrs. Robert Kaplan, Mrs. James Laird, Mrs. Robert Lynch, Mrs. Daniel Phair, Mrs. John Phillips, Mrs. Robert Pirie, Mrs. Carroll Porter, Mrs. William Previdi, Mrs. G. F. Pryor, Mrs. Richard Rose, Mrs. Walter Rumsey, Mrs. F. H. Schefers, Jr., Mrs. Raymond Scholz, Mrs. Douglas Sharp, Mrs. John Strangfeld, Mrs. John H. Stubba, Mrs. Robert B. Taylor, Mrs. Stiles Thomas, Mrs. Fred



Thurston, Mrs. Lewis Thurston, Mrs. Joseph Tremitiere, and Mrs. Harold Zitko.

In 1949 the Allendale Branch of the Woman's Auxiliary of the Valley Hospital was organized w i th Mrs. Hans Loen, Mrs. Harold Preston, and Mrs. William Quaintance as officers. Even before the hospital building was completed in 1951, Allendale women, headed by Mrs. George Albert, were at work hemming towels, diapers, and other linens for the Ridgewood hospital. The Woman's Auxiliary raised money for various hospital needs, provided volunteers to staff the hospital's tea room, Kurth Cottage, and made various "sunshine" items such as tray favors, puppets, and fancy bir th certificates for distr ibution to patients. Additional later members of the Allendale branch of the Valley Hospital Auxiliary before 1960 included Mrs. Clifford Anderson, Mrs. Stuart Archibald, Mrs. Leo Bachstetter, Mrs. Larry Bogart, Mrs. Henry Cobb, Mrs. David Cooper, Mrs. Norman Critchley, Mrs. John L. Crothers, Mrs. E. Z. Dator, Mrs. Howard Delehanty, Mrs. Talbot B. Dunn, Mrs. Raymond Fowler, Mrs. A. Vail Frost, Mrs. Theodore Hamway, Mrs. R. S. Haythorn, Mrs. Edgar Horstmann, Mrs. L. R. Johnson, Mrs. Hans Kirschenbauer, Mrs. Charles Kook, Mrs. L. R. McPeek, Mrs. Daniel Morse, Mrs. John Morton, Mrs. Robert Newman, Mrs. Albert Ostertag, Mrs. L. Post, Mrs. William B. Quaintance, Mrs. James Secor, Mrs. Harry Tamagny, Mrs. J. Parnell Thomas, Mrs. James Secor, Mrs. F. A. Van Sickle, Mrs. Joseph Stehn, Mrs. Fred S. Walters, Mrs. Frank W. Winters, Mrs. John Witmer, and Mrs. Raymond Zane. Betsy Edna, daugh-

Members of the Allendale Hobby Club, in costume for one of their meetings in the 1950s. In front are Harriet Grosman and Ted Osborne. Center row: Mary Vanderbeek, Dot Wilson, Alice Wetterauw, and Anne Webb. In back row, Marian Lightweis, Jean Cullen, and Jen Stewart.

ter of Mr. & Mrs. Stiles Thomas of Allendale, was the second baby, and first girl, to be born, in August 1951, at the new hospital.

A number of social groups existed in Allendale during these years, and one such group was the Hobby Club, a group of Allendale women many of whose husbands were Allendale volunteer firemen. This group met on Friday nights, every other week, in the 1950s, while their husbands were attending meetings of the Allendale Fire Department. The Hobby Club planned and sponsored social events, for themselves and their husbands, such as parties and progressive dinners (at which each course of the dinner was served at a different member's home, and club members traveled from house to house to complete their meal). Members of this club included Mrs. Robert Wilson (Dorothy, or "Dot" ) , Mrs. Ralph Grossman (Evelyn), Mrs. William Lightweis (Marian), Mrs. Edwin Grosman (Harriet), Jean Cullen, Mrs. Charles Ritter (Viola), Mrs. Walter Rumsey (Natalie), Mrs. Martin Wetterauw (Alice), Mrs. Russell Stewart ("Jen"), Mrs. Harold Osborne ("Ted"), Mrs. Howard Uhlinger (Doris), Mrs. John Webb (Anne), and Mrs. Wilbur Vanderbeek (Mary) . 9 ' 1 0

The Holiday Observers continued to plan and sponsor annual events on July 4th, Halloween, and Christmas, and during and after World War I I unt i l about 1948 maintained Allendale's World War I I Honor Roll sign. The Observers first sponsored Halloween window painting in 1947 (under the direct ion of John Doty), and in 1954 they held their first annual Easter Egg Hunt for the children of Allendale. In 1953 Holiday Observers members assisted w i th the Horse Show held in Allendale that year for the benefit of the Cerebral Palsy Fund.

Among those active in the Observers during these years were Arthur Ahrens, William Anderson, Aarold Asp, Harold L. Bogardus, Arden Bradley, Harold Brown, John Cebak, John Christ, Jr., Herbert Clarke, John Comley, Victor Cotz, Fred Condle, Dave Cooper, Elwood Critchley, Nbrman G. Critchley, W. G. Z. Critchley, Robert Cunningham, Edgar Curtiss, John Doty, A l Douglas, Robert Douglas, Howard J. Elschner, Arthur Fallon, Hadley Ford, Vail Frost, David Garrabrant, Kurt Getzlaff, Wilbur Goetschius, Fred Grofsick, Edwin Hall, Russell Jenkins, Leslie Johnson, Garry Langevoort, Joe Lichtenberger, John A. Manders, Frank McCord, John Morton, Alexander Ott, Michel Pasquier, Fred Rickerich, Raymond M. Scholz, James Standring, Joseph H. Stehn, Russell Stewart, Howard Swing, Stiles Thomas, John Tucker, and Emory Turnure.

Cub Pack 59 held a kite derby in March 1953. The scouts participated in overnights and district rallies, and continued their scrap paper collections.. Among those working w i th the Allendale Boy Scouts and



Cub Scouts during these years were Arthur Ahrens, Donald Anderson, Lee Backstetter, Robert Black, William Buhlman, David S. Cooper, John Curzon, Fred Degener, Edward DeJongh, Joseph Hampson, Norman Kershaw, John F. Kirby, George Liming, Leroy Moffit, Thomas Mowbray, Robert Murray, James Pardew, Stiles Thomas, and Joseph Waldorf.

Among projects and activities of the Allendale Girl Scouts and Brownies during this era were pet shows at Allendale's Recreation Park, pajama parties, astronomy classes, attendance at talks and lectures, nature walks, overnights (often at Crestwood Lake), and camping out. Among those active as leaders, assistant leaders, and as committee workers w i th the Allendale Girl Scouts and Brownie Scouts between 1946 and 1960 were Mrs. Albin Anderson, Mrs. Stuart Archibald, Mrs. Aarold G. Asp, Mrs. Charles R. Cavanagh, Jr., Mrs. John Cogan, Mrs. Robert Cross, Mrs. J. L. Crothers, Mrs. V. Detrano, Mrs. W. Joseph Dixon, Mrs. Herbert Douglas, Mrs. John Feher, Mrs. Henry Forshay, Mrs. J. Rhoads Foster (a girl scout district chairman in 1947 and 1948), Mrs. Harold Fox, Mrs. A. Vail Frost, Mrs. Sydney Geismar, Mrs. Wilbur Goetschius, Mrs. Ben Goodman, Mrs. Wil l iam F. Gordon, Mrs. W. James Hall, Mrs. R. Higbie, Mrs. Wil l iam S. Hughes, Mrs. Martin E. Husing, Mrs. George Lott, Mrs. L. E. Low, Mrs. Frank McCord, Mrs. J. B. Monaghan, Mrs. Arthur Mueller, Mrs. Ralph Norton, Mrs. Howard J. Owen, Mrs. Frank L. Panek, Mrs. A. Pearce, Mrs. George W. Prince, Mrs. Robert Rossner, Mrs. Warren Seitz, Mrs. Samuel Staines, Mrs. Stiles Thomas, Mrs. Lewis Thurston, Mrs. Richard Van Houten, Mrs. Henry VanderWerff, Mrs. Vincent Vesce, Mrs. Carl Waibel, Mrs. E. Walker, Mrs. Fred Walter, Mrs. Lemuel Webster, Mrs. Henry Werner, Mrs. J. Brunson Williams, and Mrs. George Wolfson.

In February or March 1955 a youth group was organized and a "teen canteen" for Allendale's young people was held on Friday nights in the American Legion's War Memorial Building. The American Legion Post provided the place, and the young people brought their own records and danced to them. Refreshments were provided by the young people. Evan Wetterauw was president, and Beverly Wilson was treasurer of the group.

In October 1958 a revitalized youth center was organized, again under the sponsorship of the American Legion Post,

and supervised by Kay Heddy (Mrs. Richard H. Heddy). This group, too, met in the War Memorial Building and held dances every Friday and Saturday night. The group also sponsored other activities, including hayrides and roller skating parties at the Paramus Roller Rink. A juke box and a soda machine had been installed in the War Memorial Building and the 15<t charged for admission went to buy records and pay for snacks and refreshments. 1 1

Citizens for Allendale, Inc. was formed in August 1956, w i th Francis X. Scafuro as chairman, as a "nonprofit organization to preserve the Berdan property on West Orchard Street for a civic center." The Berdan property was the former Garrison farm and homestead which stood on the site of today's A & P shopping center. Citizens for Allendale sought to acquire the five acres comprising the Berdan property "and hold i t unti l the Borough decides to purchase i t or decides against purchase in a period of six

The old Garrison farmhouse, later known as the Berdan house, and home to the Berdan and Hamilton families from the 1920s to the 1950s. Above, in 1925 before the grounds were developed and the gardens planted; below, about 1955. Part of the house and the Dutch barn on the property may have dated from the Revolutionary era.



was provided for police headquarters and a large meeting room. The kitchen was outfitted by a gift from the Woman's Club of Allendale. Space was provided in the basement for Allendale's Civil Defense-Disaster Control equipment.12

In June 1961, with Representative William B. Widnall as one of the speakers at the ceremony, the newly renovated Allendale Municipal Building was dedicated.

The Allendale Swimming Pool at Recreation Park, The sign says, "Swimming Permitted for Residents Only by Order of Park Comm."

about 1945. of Allendale

years." Shares of stock in the corporation were sold at $100, paying 4% annually. The group issued the following statement in October 1956: "With its present firehouse and the Veteran's Memorial Building available for meetings, the Borough does not yet face the immediate need for any additional public buildings. Its firehouse, however is a wooden structure about 40 years old. Looking to the future the time will come when a municipal building, however modest, and a new firehouse, centrally located and easily accessible to both sides of town, will be needed . . . " Others involved in this organization included Stewart Archibald, Aarold Asp, Edward Bevilacqua, F. Archibald Farrell, Sydney J. Geismar, Sidney M. Hadel, Mr. and Mrs. J. James Hall, William Hanson, Lewis Kort, William Marples, Frank McCord, Leroy Moffitt, Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Pfister, Albert O. Scafuro, Joseph Schulz, Philip L. Shapiro, Stiles Thomas, John L. Tucker, Richard Van Houten, Fred Walters, and Thomas W. Zane. The borough did not acquire the property, and it was eventually sold and developed into the Allendale Shopping Center.

In March 1950, the Mayor and Council, needing more space, moved their meetings from the Fire House to the renovated War Memorial Building.

In 1960, the American Legion Post, faced with dwindling membership, deeded the building back to the Board of Education, which sold it to the Borough for $ 1 and the assumption of about $700 in outstanding maintenance debts. The Borough renovated the building and set up offices for the town clerk, the tax collector and the town inspector. In addition space

R E C R E A T I O N AND PARKS

After the Allendale swimming pool at Recreation Park was damaged in the July 1945 flash flood, a Pool Committee was formed in January 1947 to investigate and promote the possibility of restoring the old Allendale Pool near the ballfield. The committee was made up of members who represented the various organizations in Allendale. Borough Engineer Florio Job went to Trenton in March to seek approval for the committee to

restore the borough-owned pool. At this time the state was working on a plan to eliminate flood conditions in Allendale and elsewhere.1 3 , 1 4

In November 1947 the question of whether to have the pool restored at a cost to the Borough of approximately $8,000 was on the Allendale ballot.

The Pool Restoration Committee met in January 1949 and made plans toward a restoration that would allow the pool to open on July 1 and operate through Labor Day. Representatives of town groups who were on this committee included Mrs. James Secor and Jean P. Thurston (Women's Society of Christian Service, Archer Memorial Methodist Church), Leslie Johnson, Howard J. Elschner, and R. Jenkins (Holiday Observers), F. Archibald Farrell (Ambulance Corps), Margaret Haefner and Eunice Kershaw (Evening Dept. of the Woman's Club), Joseph Hampson and Norman K. Kershaw (Boy Scouts), Robert Cottrell, Alwyn Grossman, and Charles Bijou (American Legion), Mrs. Wilbur Vanderbeek (Guardian Angel Guild), Edwin Grosman (Fire Department), Mrs. Walter Rumsey, Marion C. Wehner, and Mrs. Doris Tatosian (Junior Woman's Club), Harry L. Bogardus (Allendale Athletic Association), Edgar F. Varick (Allendale P.T.A.), Marjorie Mowerson (Woman's Club), Harvey Beswick (engineering advisor to the committee), and John Doty (Garden Club). An Allendale Swimming Pool Association was formed and its officers included Howard J. Elschner, John W. Doty, Norman G. Critchley, and Doris E. Tatosian. Ed Grosman was chairman of the pool construction committee. 1 5 ' 1 6



Donations were received, both in money and services, and volunteers helped paid workmen in the restoration. Local businesses who lent construction equipment, operational equipment, and other materials, included S. T. Van Houten, president of Crestwood Lake (water to f i l l the pool during the drought of 1949), Sam Braen of Wyckoff (a gasoline pump); and Wil l iam Lightweis, George Christopher and Thurston's Garage (the loan of construction equipment, including bulldozers and scoop shovels).

The restored Allendale Swimming Pool officially opened in June 1949. Featured were sandy beaches, diving boards, floats, and life guards. The fees for seasonal badges for Allendale residents were $2 for adults and $1 for children. 1 6

In September 1953, as a precautionary measure, the pool was drained earlier in the season than usual because of the outbreak of seven cases of polio in Waldwick. 1 7

On Memorial Day 1947 the plaque honoring Allendale's World War I I heroes was installed on the monument at Memorial Park during services con-

18 ducted by the American Legion Post 204.

Beginning in 1949 horse shows were held at the Recreation Park in Allendale. They were sponsored by the Cerebral Palsy League and the proceeds were donated to the Bergen County Cerebal Palsy Center in Ridgewood. Among the riders who participated in some of these shows were Carol Thurston, Sue Archibald, Jimmy Wilson, and Marcia Critchley. According to The Ramsey Journal of October 13, 1955, despite heavy rains 4,500 people attended the 6th Annual Cerebral Palsy Horse Show in Allendale.

ALLENDALE PUBLIC GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Members of the Allendale Board of Education between 1946 and 1960 included Mrs. Sydney J. Geismar, Mrs. Frederick Kanning, L. R. McPeek, James M. Standring, Jr., Clemens W. Strangfeld, John H. Witmer, and George Wolfson.

Among the teachers in the Allendale School between 1946 and 1960 were Otto Aeschbach, Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Stella M. Almroth, Mrs. Florence Amos, Mrs. Austin, Mrs. Marian D. Bastedo, Mrs. John Baxter, Mrs. Dorothy Berlin, Mrs. Biancardi, Mrs. Evangeline Craze, Mrs. Fallon, Miss Rosalie Garrabrant, Mrs. Sydney J. Geismar, Mrs. Mary Goetschius, H. Gray, Mrs. Jessie Johns, Mrs. Lorraine M. Knight, Mrs. Wil letta R. LaRoe, Mrs. Mary

The Allendale Pool before the restoration. Spring 1949. Brookside School can be seen through the trees in the background.

McKechnie, Louis Murgia, Peter Odo, Mr. Ryan, Mrs. Mary Smithey, Mrs. Tomlinson, Mrs. Wil l iam Twichell, Mrs. Waldorf, Mrs. George Wilson, and Miss Wright.

The PTA during these years raised funds for special equipment for the school, sponsored dancing classes (tap, ballet, and social dancing), and fostered a band parents group. Those active in the Parent Teachers Association between 1946 and 1960 included Philander Alward, Mrs. D. Anderson, Mrs. H. L. Bogart, Byron Collins, Mrs. Robert Cross, Robert M. Cunningham, Mrs. Will iam J. Dixon, Mrs. C. W. Erikson, Mrs. Feher, Mrs. Henry Forshay, Mrs. John

j j - \ JTV v J KJ i-S« At Long Last — A Place for the Kids to Swim

Front page of 'The Argus, June 30, 1949 with an article on the reopening of the restored Allendale Pool.



Lothian, Mrs. J. Rhoads Foster, Mrs. Arthur B. Fowler, Mr. and Mrs. A. Vail Frost, Mrs. George Horton, Mrs. L. Kort, Mrs. Walter Kunisch, Mrs. John Lothian, Mrs. J. B. Monaghan, Mark W. Olson, Mrs. Wilfred Paulsen, Mrs. J. J. Probst, R. L. Robbins, Mrs. G. W. Schwack, James Standring, Mrs. M. R. Terwilleger, Joseph Waldorf, Mrs. Fred Walter, and Mrs. J. W. Wattles.

Seventh grade students in January 1949 saw the inauguration of President Truman on television at the home of school principal Paul D. O'Connor.

In May 1950 Allendale voters approved a proposed $213,000 addition to the the school. The addition, a north wing, would be one story, with six classrooms, a home economics room, a manual train

ing room, and lavatories. Another addition to the school was built in 1956-57 adding rooms on the east and the west sides of the school.

In 1960 Paul D. O'Connor retired as principal, and Henry C. Seibel became acting principal. Seibel became superintendent in the Fall of 1960, and Joseph Dorer came to Allendale as supervisor of curriculum. There were 726 students enrolled in the Allendale Public School in 1960.

High school students from Allendale attended Ramsey High School until February 6, 1959 when Allendale freshmen, sophomores, and juniors began to attend the partially-finished new Mahwah Junior-Senior High School. Seniors from Allendale finished out their year at Ramsey High School.

Brookside School Third Grade Class Picture, 1948. Front row, left to right: Donald Thurston, Dick Kanning, Kathleen Crothers. Second row from front: Frank Collyer?, Nadine Rumsey, Dennis Alward, Greg Price. Third row: Arlene Simon, Judy Anderson, Alice Foster, Emory Turnure. Fourth row: Patricia Webb, Beverly Anderson, and Sylvia Stetler. Fifth row: Bonnie Sue Christopher, Ellen Bemstorf, and Larry Langerlaan?. Sixth row: unidentified boy, Jimmy Wilson, and Marlene Lota. Back row, standing: Mrs. Mary Goetschius, teacher, Carlton Conklin, and George Kirschenbauer.



g m—

I B 12i

The Allendale School on Brookside Avenue, January 1948.

POST O F F I C E

By 1953 the Allendale Post Office served a population of 2,579 and had 9 employees. Frank Archibald Farrell was postmaster.

On March 1, 1954 City Delivery Carrier Service was instituted in Allendale by the Post Office. Postmaster Frank A. Farrell announced that all residents would be required to erect mail receptacles or install mail slots for the receipt of mail. Two carriers on foot, and one carrier in a vehicle, covered the route. In July 1955 Allendale became a first class post

E T R 20, 21 office.

In 1958 William F. Anderson was appointed acting postmaster at Allendale, succeeding Frank A. Farrell. In 1960 Charles Schubert was appointed postmaster. 2 2

ALLENDALE LIBRARY

Through the years many efforts had been made to municipalize the library, but i t was not unt i l November 4, 1952 that the residents of Allendale voted to have the borough government take over the library building and grounds and to operate the library as a free public l ibrary (dues had been charged up unt i l this time).

In December of 1952 the library board voted unanimously to rename the library "The Lee Memorial Library" in memory of one of its greatest supporters, William C. Lee, whose death had occurred in July. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lee had been major benefactors of the library from its early days unt i l their deaths, and in their wil ls they left funds in trust for the support of the library.

In February of 1953 Hilda Sprague (Mrs. Austin

Sprague) became Allendale's first full-time librarian. The l ibrary had previously been staffed by par t t ime volunteers. Mrs. Sprague had been an Allendale volunteer for at least seven years before her full-time appointment, and before that she had been a l ibrarian i n Livingston Manor, NY. She was to remain as Allendale's l ibrarian unt i l March 1967, when she and her husband moved to Bushkill, PA following Mr. Sprague's retirement. In March 1953 Schuyler C. Lee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Will iam C. Lee, unveiled

the bronze letters over the doorway spelling out "Lee Memorial Library." 1 9

Those who served as officers and trustees of the library f rom 1946 through 1960 included: Frank Berdan, H. E. Sylvester Buechner, E. Kenneth Burger, F. J. Burnett, Mrs. David M. Colburn, Fred W. Condle, Norman Critchley, Wil l iam G. Z. Critchley, Mrs. Dorothy DeBlock, Mrs. Fred Delaney, Mrs. D. W. Frazer, Mrs. Sydney Geismar, Martin E. Husing, Mrs. James W. Jackson, Ray V. Jones, Mrs. Mary K. Lee,

Allendale Library, corner of Allendale Avenue and Franklin Turnpike, interior, summer 1946. Mr. and Mrs. William C. Lee display the library sign first hung by the Village Improvement Association in 1901.


160 POSTWAR YEARS — 1 9 4 6 - 1 9 6 0

William C. Lee, Miss Ruth Morrison, Daniel Morse, Mrs. Daniel Morse, Frederick Savage, Mrs. Ethel M. Scott, Rev. E. A. Sievert, George H. Smith, Mrs. Hilda Sprague, S. E. Staines, J. Parnell Thomas, and Albert L. Zabriskie.

Above, the Allendale Library, about 1955. Below, the Allendale Library interior, summer 1946. The photograph shows the Mary K. Lee room, completed in 1941. Mrs. William C. Lee (Mary K. Lee), the librarian, is seated at the desk.

BUSINESSES AND T H E BUSINESS S E C T I O N

In 1946 Pasko C. Job and Ann Mary Job took over the Crescent Terrace Inn restaurant business at 168 West Crescent Avenue, and it became known as "Pat Job's Crescent Inn." The building was restored

and rebuilt after a fire partially destroyed it in 1952. Pasko C. ("Pat") Job sold his business and liquor license in May 1959. Job's family had operated the restaurant for 27 years. For several years previous to the sale, there had been controversy over a borough variance permitting Job to have music and dancing on the second floor. Several of the surrounding residents brought suit, charging that the variance was illegal. In September 1956 a Superior Court judge ruled that meals could be served on both floors, but music and dancing could only take place on the

J {n 23,24 first floor.

In 1947 Chester Miskowski ("Chet") established his house painting and wallpapering business. By 1985, the business was run as C. Miskowski & Son, Inc., and later by Thomas Miskowski.

About 1947, after the death of Mrs. V. Braun, owner of the Allendale Hotel, Mrs. Maude Connelly ("Mom" Connelly), who had run the business since the mid-1980s, bought the Ackerman house on West Allendale Avenue. She moved her family to the house, and built an addition onto the front of the house for a cocktail bar and lounge. This was called the Allendale Bar & Grill (AB&G), which is still in operation today under the management of Mom Connelly's grandson, Michael Kunisch.2 5

The Allendale Convalescent Home, at 668 West Crescent Avenue, was in operation by 1946 and by 1947 Elsie H.



Above and below, Allendale West Allendale Avenue.

Scott was operating her Scott's Nursing Home at 703 Frankl in Turnpike (the former Cockroft-Carver House). About 1953 Marvin Van Dyk (later w i t h his brother Wil l iam and father Barney) took over the 703 Frankl in Turnpike business to establish his first Van Dyk Nursing Home. By 1957 he had opened Van Dyk Nusing Homes in Ridgewood and Towaco. By 1960 the 703 Franklin Turnpike bui lding was being run as Pruiksma's Nursing Home. 2 6

In January 1947, Thomas L. Murphy and his partner, R. W. Hamilton, were granted a zoning exception by the Allendale Board of Adjustment, to develop a horse stable on the 25-acre "Van Zant" property on Boroline Road. Murphy, a resident of the Fardale section of Mahwah, had been an all-star athlete, a former football coach at Ramsey High School, and had conducted a dance band before the war. His partner, R. W. Hamilton, of Saddle River, was a well-known sportsman and horse trainer. The enterprise would board, buy, and sell horses and teach advanced horsemanship. The business, Allendale Riding Stables, was in operation November 1947 and was being run by James Kennedy, who that month was attending the horse show at

27 Madison Square Garden.

In 1948 Winter Brothers Store at 90 West Allendale Avenue, up unt i l this time sti l l a grocery and general store, discontinued their line of groceries and expanded their hardware line. From this time unt i l the store closed, i t became a hardware store (although, for a time, the store carried bread). The store kept its liquor license, however, and sold liquor, beer, and soft drinks.

In 1950 Stiles Thomas opened his insurance agency in Allendale. The Stiles Thomas Agency was at

business section, May 1946, looking east along

the by

74 West Allendale Avenue in 1950, and later moved to the Braun building (dubbed, because of its triangular shape, the Flatiron Building). In the 1960s it became something of an Allendale event to await the appearance of the new "Here's Allendale" directory (published by the Church of the Epiphany) to look for Stiles's witty ad. In the 1963-64 edition he cautioned, "We do not give Plaid, Blue, or Green Stamps." 2 8

Sometime before 1950 the Ben Franklin 5 & 10 was in business on the south side of West Allendale Avenue.

The garage and service station at 11 West Allendale Avenue was built in 1949 by the Home Fuel Company of Ridgewood. It was being run as a Chevron station in 1963 by Harry and Dick Nicholas.


Documents

Allendale Historical Society - The John Fell House